Auxiliary bearing and brake actuating means for railway cars



Oct. 7, 1947. A. NICHOLAS 2,428,720

AUXILIARY BEARING AND BRAKE ACTUATING MEANS FOR RAILWAY CARS Filed March 8; 1945 Patented Oct. 7, 1947 AUXILIARY BEARING AND BRAKE ACTUAT- ING MEANS FOR RAILWAY CARS Alex Nicholas, Little Falls, N. Y.

Application March 8, 1945, Serial No. 581,606

My invention relates to an auxiliary bearing for railway cars and I declare the following to be a full, clear, concise and exact description thereof sufficient to enable anyone skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the speed. Under these conditions the wheels of the train effected would go off the track and tear up the roadbed and derail other cars behind the one above mentioned.

With the present invention this trouble is eliminated. The train can proceed with safety until it is brought to a stop by the automatic setting of the air brakes, which forms part of the invention.

The auxiliary bearing is designed also to prevent dust and other foreign particles from reaching the bearing.

The object will be understood by referring to the drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a central vertical section of the auxiliary bearings, showing their relation to the chassis of the car, parts being in full.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, slightly reproduced size, showing a side elevation of the invention in connection with the chassis of the car, parts broken away and certain covers to the auxiliary bearings removed.

Fig. 3 is a detail view, somewhat enlarged, showing an auxiliary bearing and immediate parts broken away.

Fig. 4 is a detail view, reduced in scale, showing a perspective of one of the wheels employed in the invention.

Fig. 5 is a detail view, showing a perspective of a channel member employed, parts being broken away.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the invention embodies specially designed wheels, hereinafter mentioned, which support a truck I disposed at either end of the railway car. Said truck I has side frames 2, 2 that carry a removable channel cross member 3 provided with overhanging depending lips 4, 4 at either end thereof to engage the contiguous sides of frames 2, Z.

1 Claim. (Cl. 246-169) ,verse relation to frames 2, 2.

A top cross beam or arbor 5 arched upwards towards its. center portion is disposed directly above cross member 3 and is held yieldingly in its upper positions by a pair of coiled springs 6, 6 located at each end of arbor 5. Each of said coiled springs 6, 6 rests in the channel member 3 and are in alignment with frames 2, 2. The upper ends of springs 6 rest beneath the under surface of beam 5. Heads l0, l0 formed integral with the ends of beam 5 extend laterally to overlap the contiguous sides of frames 2, 2, whereby to hold beam 5 in place. Apertures II, II in frames 2, 2 are enlarged slightly at their lower portions, as at l2, [2 to allow for the assembling of beam 5.

A cross strut or supporting beam l3 rests on beam 5 and is held in place thereon by king pin l4. Beam I5 is disposed lengthwise of the chassis. Pipe l6 which is part of the air brake system is supported by suitable. bearings in struts l3 of the chassis l.

A box or housing bearing 20 is formed integral at either end of each of the side frames 2, 2. The bearing 20 is flat on its top surface and round or cylindrical at 2| on its under surface, whereby to form an emergency journal. Said box bearings 20 extend in depth and are disposed in trans- I The connection of said frames 2, 2 with box bearings 20, 20 is at about the middle portion thereof.

Said box bearings 20, 20' form auxiliary journals which will support the chassis I of the railroad car inthe, event that axle 24 should burn out or break. The break occurs generally on its journal portions as at 25, 25. The outer edge of the open end of each of the box bearings 20 is formed'at an angle. I A cover 26 fitted thereto is hinged at its toppart 21 to the like portion of box bearing 20 and serves as a closing member to the open end of box bearing 20. The box bearings, therefore, prevent dust and dirt from reaching the axles 25, 25 and immediate parts.

In the event that axle 24 should break at or near journal part 25 no harm would result for the reason that box bearings 20 would serve as a journal. Axle 24 ties one pair of wheels 36, 36 together. It has a close fit with bushings 31, 31 and they in turn have a close or tight fit with wheels 36, 36, whereby axle 24 and wheels 36, 36 turn together.

Each of the wheels 36 has a flange 31 to hold it to the tracks, not shown. Each has cast also on the outer lateral surface thereof a conical or bulging cap member 4|. The bulged outward portion of cap member 4| is provided with a central aperture 46 of much larger circumference than that of box bearing 20, whereby portions 45 do not contact box bearing 20 under normal conditions. In the event, however, that axle 24 should break and let down box bearing 20, said bearing 20 Will contact with the annular edge 41 of cap member M, which then becomes a bearing on which bearing 20 will ride until the train comes to 'a stop.

The means for setting the breaks, not shown, when axle 24 burns out contemplates a bell crank lever 50 pivoted at 5| to upstanding bifurcated" bracket 52 made integral .or."otherwisetsecured to the adjacent part of side frame 2 at the':-l0'ca-'- tion of box bearing 20. A chain 53 connects the upper end of lever 50 with the releasing arnr of" air valve 54 mounted in the: airpipe I5.

The lower end of bell crank lever 50 has a slot 56 formed therein for the projection therethroughof the reduced end 51 ofllever or tappet 58 that is pivoted at 5a to the. grooved. head Goof bolt16l. The lowerend. of bolt: Bil passes down through a threaded aperture in; tl'i'er top: part 621 of". box Bearing r The free end off lever 5.8. ISt$il1 the grooved head 64' of bolt 65; Bolt 65 passes down; through a hole in the toprpartl'fiz oiboxzbearingifl and is adapted to:sli'de:tlierein.v Aheadeid; fusible wire member 66. connects: the:- depending part 61 of bolt 65 within. boxmiemberonbearing; 20 to the lower part of box" bearing: 20:: where it: is; held. by

head 68..

Coiled. springs"!!!yieldingly hold the several bolts 65 in upWard= -position;. In each instance said spring 10 presses upward at one end: against theunder' surface of thehead of bolt 65%and-lrests at" the other end; on the? uppensurface: 62 ofbox bearing 20:

In theeventthat axle''24.- becomes-over heated, fusible member 66. will'-meltand,,thereby; allow spring 10 to rock lever 58 and connectedrlever 50 to set the brakes ashereinbelowexplained;

When: axle- 26 breaks: the: curved or: bearin side ofv box 20 will fall. down. into; engagement with: the adjacent edgeefl of,cap; member4:l, as above explained. Simultaneouslyv bellcranklever ilkwil-l. come-mm contact withther bulging; side.

of cap: member 4| which will ,rock..it..-into.- dotted line. position .shownin Figs. 1-. Said-1 lever. fill-will exert a pull through chain. 53:.- onthe releasing arm of air: valve.- 54 to. release-theait pressure in pipe 5 170 -tlsiereby releasez:thabrakes,v not. shown,

whereupon. a: succeeding; air; pressurev forces the brakes into clamping position-.zwithlwheels, 35, for stopping the train;

Chain 53 connecting thelefthandbell crank lever, shown: in 1 with the releasing arm of airvalve 5.4wil1 pass througha suitable aperture made in beam 1 5' toreacnits destination,

In operation, we may assume that axle 24 becomes broken at journal part 25, then and in that event the adjacent box bearing 20 will fall down and come into bearing position on the edge 47 of cap member 4|, which in this instance Will function as a bearing. Simultaneously, bell crank lever will rock from full to dotted line position shown in Fig. 1, whereby to exert a pull on chain 531:6 actuate the'releasingarm of'air valve 54. This'wi'll" release the air pressure in pipe 16, whereby to allow the brakes to contact the wheels 36. A subsequent pressure of air will force the brakes into: clamping position with Wheels 35, wliereby'to stop the train.

Having thus described my invention what I claim" as new and desire to secure by Letters Patcut is as. follows V In an auxiliary bearin for railway cars, a chassis; wheels for supporting said chassis, cap members form on said vdieels to provide auxiliary bearings; an; axle connecting. said wheels, box bearings attaehect=..to:-saict; chassis;. said: axleex tending: through'sand: forming: a. normal, support for aictbox bearings,,said;box bearings adapted to-extend; within: said: caps. members to" provide auxiliaryfbearings' for supporting; said; box bear.- ingsuporr. failure: of the normalsupport, levers pivo'tailyr mounted; on: said; bearing, box, a: brake pipe havingrav vent valve mounted on said chassis, chains; connectingv said" leversv to; said valve; and said; capa members adapted to: operate said; levers uponz failure of. said' normal: support, whereby .to rock said levers to exert a pullwon said chains ior opening: said vent; valve: to setthebrakes of the cars;

NICHOEAS.

REFERENGES orrnn The following references are of'record in the file of this. patent: 

